


Coming Home

by Useless_Chatter



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Closure, Family, Fluff and Angst, Graduation, Homophobic Language, Love, M/M, Neil Hargrove Being an Asshole, Racist Language, Strong Female Characters, casually ignoring parts of season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 19:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20605811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Useless_Chatter/pseuds/Useless_Chatter
Summary: After years of being away, Steve and Billy go back to Hawkins for the kids' graduation. Not everything goes according to plan.Be advised Neil is garbage.





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> It's mostly soft and happy. This just popped into my head. I don't know if this is going anywhere. Enjoy! =)
> 
> As always unbeta'd, mistakes are my own. Comments are welcomed!

The first time they go back is in summer. Steve’s happy that they’re not back in the colder months, he’d forgotten what it was like. He turns and looks at Billy sitting next to him. He looks miserable. He’s looked that way since they left their apartment for the airport and not even an inflight blow job could change it. Which is saying something because Steve pulled out all the stops. But Steve gets it. The well of darkness buried deep inside him began to bubble the second they decided to come back. 

Billy takes Steve’s hand in his. He fucking hates this piece of shit place. He looks out the window as they drive by the same old places. A few things have changed, updates, but otherwise, Hawkins looks the same. It’s like being dropped back into a nightmare. He heart is racing. Steve squeezes his hand and pulls it up to his lips. 

“I know babe,” Steve whispers as Billy looks up at the back of the cab drivers head slightly panicked. He resents feeling like he has to hide again, but old fears are rearing their ugly heads. “We’re here for them. This is good. It’ll be okay. They’re only gonna graduate once,” Steve finishes.

Billy doesn’t point out how wrong Steve is. He knows he’s just trying to help, but the fact remains that no matter how hard they try to be positive, they left behind a huge pile of shit when they hightailed out of this shitty town.

“Let’s just do this. The quicker this ends the quicker we can be back in California.”

While the rest of the town had bile rising in his throat, the sight of Joyce and Hop waiting for them outside their modest home brings a smile to Steve’s face. The second the car stops Joyce is flinging the door open and throwing herself at them as Hop helps to unload their bags. She pulls them out the car and sandwich’s herself between them as they squeeze her tightly.

“It’s so nice to finally have you boys home,” she says. 

Steve isn’t sure how long the three of them stand there in their embrace and he doesn’t care because Billy looks at peace holding Joyce in his arms. The small smile spread across his face makes his chest tight in the best of ways. He backs away and lets them have their moment. 

“How ya doin’ kid?” Hop barks out as he extends his hand and pulls Steve into a crushing hug. 

“I’m good. We’re good,” Steve answers genuinely. 

“Glad to hear it. How was your flight?”

“Good, fine,” Steve says with a flush in his cheeks.

“Alright, we’ll they could be like that for a while,” Hop says motioning over to Joyce and Billy, who are in a world of their own, whispering to one another. “Help me with these bags.”

Hop shows Steve to their room and for a second Steve looks embarrassed as he stares down at the double bed. 

“Oh come on! What did you expect? Separate beds? You guys don’t have to worry about that here. We don’t care.”

“Yeah, no, I know, but it’s one thing to be okay with it from far away and another when it’s under your roof.”

“You seem to forget the literal hundreds of times I caught the two of you with your pants around your ankles. While you were supposed to be babysitting no less!” 

Hop has a huge smile on his face and laughs as he brings one of his meaty hands down onto Steve's shoulders. Steve is a deep red now. 

“Look I didn’t care then and WE don’t care now. I’m happy for both of you. You both look well adjusted and that’s saying a lot considering all the shit this family’s been through.”

Steve doesn’t know what to say. He’s also fighting the urge to cry a little. Fuck! Being back was messing with him hard. “Thanks,” is all he can manage. 

They make their way back to the kitchen and find Billy and Joyce sitting at the table smoking. 

“Hey!” Joyce says as she sees them. “So Billy spoke to Max and the party is on their way to the high school for a quick practice run before the ceremony begins. You boys have just enough time to shower, get changed, have a quick bite and then we’ll head down to the high school.”

“Sounds good,” Billy answers. 

Hip takes a seat next to Joyce and lights up a cigarette. They both have serious looks on their faces. The four of them paired off and sitting across from each other makes Billy feel like he should be apologizing for something. He looks over at Steve and knows he’s feeling the same. 

He watches Steve’s Adam apple bob up and down as Joyce asks the question they’ve collectively been dreading. “Are you going to see your parents?”

Billy’s stomach feels like a bomb went off, but his face stays neutral. “We already have, their right in front of us.”

Joyce looks like she’s going to burst into tears and Hop just looks like someone shoved a carrot up his ass. Before Billy can register it she jumps up and moves around the table to pull them into another hug. 

“You are my boys. You’re all mine. And I love more than anything in this whole world. You kids, all you kids, you’re my life.” 

Hop comes over and places his hands on their shoulders in solidarity and love. Billy looks up to see tears rolling down Steve’s cheeks. 

They go back to their room and take turns showering. Not showering together is a shame, but they don’t have that kind of time. Even with shorter hair, much shorter in Billy’s case, it still takes them forever to get ready. Steve finishes dressing and then turns to where Billy is standing in front of a mirror, buttoning his shirt. Steve is a weak-willed man when it comes to the Adonis standing in front of him. 

He wraps his arms around Billy’s waist, pulls his back into his chest and kisses Billy’s neck. 

“Hey there sexy, need some help?” Steve mumbles into his neck and simultaneously swats Billy’s hands away from the buttons of his shirt. 

A smile breaks out across the younger man’s face. “Baby we both know that your ‘help’ will only make us incredibly late,” Billy responds as he turns around and wraps his arms around Steve’s neck. 

Steve doesn’t waste any time pulling Billy into a searing kiss and for his efforts, he finds himself exactly where he wants to be. Pressed up against the wall with Billy’s thigh between his legs and his tongue down his throat. Billy pulls away and licks the patch of skin under Steve’s ear that always sends shivers down his spine. 

“God you feel so good. ” Billy whispers as he rolls his hips into Steve’s. 

His knees feel weak and Steve can’t stop the moan that escaped his mouth, especially not when he hears Billy gasp. Billy’s breath is hot and wet against his ear. They know each other too well, years together has made them enthusiastic experts of each other. 

Just as he feels Billy’s hand go to his belt, there’s a loud bang against their door. 

“Knock it off you two, it’s the middle of the day for fuck’s sake! And you’re gonna make us late if you don’t!” Hop shouts at them. “Do it on your own damn time!”

They burst into laughter. “I was wondering how long it would take for crotchety Hop to make an appearance,” Steve giggles. 

Billy backs away and looks down at himself in the mirror. “Damn it, Harrington! You’re a fucking menace! Look at my shirt!”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Yeah well look at my dick,” he says as he gestured down to his pants. 

“Blow me, that’s entirely your fault. I told you we didn’t have time for your ‘help’.”

“Whatever, let’s go before Hop busts the door down.”

Billy’s pulls him in for a quick kiss before they walk out the room and make their way to the living room, where Hop gives them his ‘you got to be fucking kidding me look’. They burst into laughter again.

“Unbelievable,” they hear Hop mumble. Joyce calls for him and they listen as he walks away. “Here I think we’ve got two men and instead we still got horny teenagers!” 

They sit down on the sofa and wait for their food. 

“Look,” Steve says gesturing towards the fireplace. 

The mantle is covered in pictures. In the center is the group shot they’d taken right before Billy and Steve had left. It’s crazy to see their old selves like that. The rest of the pictures are of Will, El, Jonathan and Nancy and them. Joyce framed some of the nicer pictures they’d sent her. There’s even one of the four of them from when they come out to visit them in California. 

Joyce and Hopper come in and find them dumbstruck. “We made the mantle,” Billy states to no one in particular. He’s not sure what he’s feeling other than overwhelmed.

“What?” Joyce says turned to look at what had their undivided attention. “Oh! Of course, you made the mantle silly! The mantle is for family.”

Billy’s heart flutters. He’s never been worthy of anyone’s mantle before. 

They eat and manage to make their way to the high school with minimal griping from Hop. But the closer they get to the field the more dread fills both Steve and Billy. This is it. There’s no hiding here. No blending into the crowd. They definitely were not in California anymore. Here they’d be on full display. They aren’t ashamed, they are way past that point. They just didn’t want the attention of specific people. 

They stop and Billy firmly takes hold of Steve’s hand. They squeeze tight. 

“Hey, Steve?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

Steve turns to him with a smile on his face. He places a small but tender kiss on Billy’s lips. It has his nerves singing. 

“I love you too, Billy.”

Fuck Hawkins. Fuck everyone. Billy is the luckiest man in the whole fucking world. He has a partner who loves him and a family that cares and no one, no one, is going to stop him from seeing his not so little sister graduate from high school. 

“You boys coming?” Joyce calls back to them.

“Let’s do this,” he says to Steve. 

They walk out and it feels like all eyes are on them, but Billy’s view has narrowed down to a single head of fiery red curls. 

Max. 

She’s beautiful. Nothing like the kid he remembers guiltily leaving behind and not even close to the girl in the pictures she’d sent. She’s radiant, blue eyes sparkling in the sun. He watches her turn left to right looking over her shoulders. She’s searching the crowd and when they finally lock eyes she jumps up and waves. A huge smile spreads across her face and Billy’s heart jumps. He can’t remember loving anyone other than Steve this much. 

She follows him with her eyes and watches as he takes a seat in the spot Hop had reserved for the six of them. Jonathan and Nancy are already there, not that Billy cares. She waves again and for a second he thinks she might be waving to the others, but then she mouths “Hi Billy”. He sure his heart can’t handle this. He mouths “Hey Max” back and her smile gets even bigger. She’s full-on kneeling in her chair facing the wrong way just so she can keep looking at him. 

It doesn’t last long. She’s being reamed by some stuck up adult. Even from his spot, he can see her roll her eyes. She sits back down and turns to give him a shrug. He laughs and she smiles again before turn back to face the stage. 

And that’s fine because just as she does an icy chills spread down his spine. Steve must feel it too because he grabs hold of his hand and begins looking around. He feels it when Steve freezes. Billy doesn’t need to look to know what did it. Billy holds onto Steve’s hand as he turns to look Neil dead in the eyes.

The man has aged and not very well. There’s a murderous look in his eyes. Same old bullshit. Same old Neil. Billy stares him down. He’s not some scared, confused kid anymore. He isn’t afraid of that pathetic sack of shit anymore. He stares until Susan draws Neil’s attention back to the stage. 

“I can’t believe she’s still with him,” Steve whispers. 

Billy wishes he could say the same, but Susan is nothing like Max. She isn’t strong, she isn’t brave enough to leave. Billy used to hate her, but now he just feels pity. 

The ceremony begins and thankfully it doesn’t drag on forever. There aren’t that many kids. Apparently, this is the last of the small grades. Hawkins is booming and all the grades after the party’s were double if not triple in size. Billy doesn’t know who he should thank for small favors.

They cheer as each member walks across the stage, William Byers, all six of them stand and shout for him. Joyce has tears streaming down her face. Dustin Henderson, Steve nearly flys out of his seat as he cheers, seconded only by Mrs. Henderson. Jane Hopper, again they all stand cheering her on, and this time it’s Hopper’s turn to cry. Maxine Mayfield, Billy, and Steve stand on their chairs and whoop, cheer, and whistle so loud the announcer has to ask them to stop. “That’s my baby sister!” Billy shouts and Max goes beat red, but the smile never leaves her face.  
Lucas Sinclair, Steve, and Billy cheer along with the rest of Lucas family, but they're drowned out by Erica’s screams. Michael Wheeler, Jonathan and Nancy get up and cheer in the politest way possible, but Mike still looks mortified. 

They watch as the kids turn their chords and throw their caps. It’s a great day. Jonathan and Nancy hug and greet them as they wait for the kids to come to find them. Mrs. Henderson, the Wheelers and the Sinclairs all join them. A bunch of the family’s rented space in the park for a big graduation cookout. Steve watches as Billy looks around anxiously. He’s waiting, they're both waiting for the inevitable. For Neil’s appearance. It all disappears when they hear the rage steps of the party barreling towards them. 

“BILLY! BILLY!” he hears Max shouting as she hops along ripping the heels from her feet and finally breaking out into a full run. 

Billy turns in her direction and opens his arms to catch her. “Ooph!” 

She throws her arms around his neck and he spins her around. “Damn your not a light as you were 4 years ago,” Billy laughs out.

“Shut up you goon!” 

He puts her down and pulls her in for a hug. They break apart, but they hold on to one another. 

“Hey, Billy.”

“Hey, kid.” She laughs.

“I’m not a kid anymore,” she tells him.

“No, you definitely are not. You’re a beautiful young lady.” 

She makes a face. “Gross.”

“I mean look at you, hair done, makeup done, what I hope is a respectfully lengthy dress.”

Another eye roll. “You don’t look half bad yourself bonehead. Especially since you got rid of the dead possum from top of your head!” She laughs and he rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah mullet jokes I get it. I mean it though Max. You look beautiful and you’re smart, funny and incredibly frightening when you want to be. I couldn’t be more proud. I wouldn’t want anyone else as my sister.”

Max goes back to being beat red and starts aggressively wiping her eyes. “God, what is this a lifetime movie?” 

Billy laughs and pulls her in for another hug. She rests her head on his should. “I missed you, Billy. So much.”

Steve can see Billy’s eyes start to get glassy. 

“I missed you too. I’m so sorry I left you behind. I think about you every day and where I left you. I’m sorry Max, but I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t.”

“I know. It’s okay really. I have the party and Joyce and Hop. They’ve taken great care of me.”

“But it was my job, it’s my job to take care of you.”

“Don’t be so dense! I don’t need anyone to take of me. But I get it, Billy. I do. And Thank you. Thank you for coming.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

And just like that, they remember they aren’t the only two people in the world. Max turns to Steve and holds out her hand. 

“Hey, Stevie! Thanks for coming.” She pulls him in for a side hug. 

“No place else I’d rather be.”

They walk over to their section of the park. Steve and Billy on either side of Max and their arms linked behind her. Steve carrying her cap, Billy her shoes and bag. Steve can’t help the light bubbly feeling that fills him as he watches Billy kiss the side of Max’s head. This is all he ever wanted for Billy. 

Once they arrive they separate and greet everyone. Steve and Dustin have a long hug and weirdly elaborate handshake that makes everyone else look on in amusement. Mrs. Henderson showers Steve in kisses and tells him how much she missed him. Steve looks over and sees Billy talking to Mrs. Wheeler. Years ago Steve would have been freaking out, but now he just laughs. Things are so different now. They are so much better. 

They spend the better part of the day laughing and drinking and catching up and it’s just perfect. Billy sits on the ground in front of Steve’s chair with his arms wrapped through Steve's legs. Everyone there knows about them and it’s nice not to have to hide. No one there would say anything even if they weren’t okay with it. Not with Hop around. Steve happy about that because he’s sure Mr. Wheeler has something he’s keeping to himself, but he can go shove it for all Steve cares. 

Everything’s great until it isn’t. Until Mrs. Sinclair brings up Susan. 

“You know Max I told your mother to stop by, but she said that your father wouldn’t be up for it. I don’t see why she could come alone, but you know it’s none of my business.”

Everyone goes silent except for Lucas, Max, and Billy.

“Oh my God, Mom! Stop!”

“He’s not my father!”  
“He’s not her father!”  
Max and Billy say in unison. 

“Oh!” Mrs. Sinclair responds a little flustered. 

“Neil is not my father, and if my mother won’t go anywhere without that jerk glued to her side then she’s just as pathetic as him.” Max forces out.

Everyone is quiet, unsure of what to say. Joyce is about to speak up when someone clears their throat behind them. They all turn to see Neil and Susan Hargrove standing in front of them. 

“Good Evening everyone, so sorry we’re late, but I wanted to bake a cake.” Susan continues like she hasn’t noticed the crippling tension. “They’re always best when they’re fresh!” 

She sets the cake down the table and everyone turns to look at Neil who is standing as still as a statue. 

“Congratulations Maxine,” Neil says coldly.

“Thank you,” she returns just as icy.

That’s when he sets his attentions onto Billy and Steve. He looks down at them with such hatred it makes Steve’s skin crawl. 

“Boy, you better stop making a fool of yourself and get untangled from there and come greet your father.”

Billy goes rigid Hop moves closer, Susan looks lost, Max looks furious. 

“His name is Steve, Neil, Steve Harrington and you don’t get to talk to us that way.”

Three years ago things would have been so different. Billy would have murdered him right there in front of everyone with a smile on his face. But these days he’s happy, still angry, but happy more than anything else. These days he has a lot to lose and he knows it. He stands up and walks over to the man. 

“You better think twice before you speak to me like that! I don’t care who he is!” Neil says jabbing his finger into Billy’s chest. 

“You see the problem is I FUCKING CARE!” Billy is up in Neil’s face. “Because he’s my partner and I love him.”

Neil looks around horrified like Billy just whipped out his dick in front of everyone. 

“You disgusting little-“

“Disgusting? Oh, you want disgusting?” he laughs, a hint of the old Billy peeking through. Maybe I should tell you about how we spend the hot California night, you still remember those right Neil? Spread-out, naked in bed, hands-“

A loud crack rings out as Neil’s fist connects with Billy’s cheek. Steve jumps to his feet and cradles Billy bleed face in his hands. The air around them starts to change. Steve thinks he can taste metal in his mouth.

“Are you fucking insane?” Steve screams at him. 

Everyone’s shouting now and they have a group of onlookers now too because before they could blink Max runs over and punches Neil square and center. Susan screams and runs to his side. Everyone just stands frozen in shock. Billy’s stomach is in his ass. He stands upright and runs to Max.

The wind picks up.

“Don’t you ever lay on a hand on him again. I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to you back then but I am now! And let me make it clear the days of you using him as a punching bag are over.” Max’s voice is laced with venom. Every word a knife that slices open their past. “If you ever -EVER- come near me or my brother again I will kill you. Understand?”

Neil looks enraged. Susan looks like she’s been dropped into a horror movie. 

“I said, Do. You. Understand?” 

Billy takes her hand. Hopper and Joyce come to stand behind both of them. Whatever retaliation Neil attempts to seek dies in the face of Jim Hopper, Chief of Police. He looks up at Hopper and then back down at them. He spits on them. 

“You want them? The little nigger lover and this pansy fucking faggot? Have ‘em?” an audible gasp moves through the group. Mr. Sinclair and Lucas stand up and make their way over to them. 

“No,” Billy says blocking them. “Let him. Let him show the world who he really is.”

“You disgust me! I tried to help both of you! Show you what's right!" he shouts. 

“Oh yeah? Help? How’s that? By beating Billy? Fracturing his ribs? Or maybe with some internal bleeding?” Steve shouts at him. “He’s your fucking son!”

Neil turns his rage towards Steve. He squints and an evil smile spreads across his face. “You’re the hole he went crawling to every night to lick his wounds. Faggot.”

“Fuck you.”

“I told you not to fucking talk to him like that!”

“It’s time for you to leave,” Joyce says finally get in between all of them. “You’re a disgrace. You have two beautiful, wonderfully smart, kind, brave, generous, loving- despite the trauma- children and this his how you treat them? You don’t deserve them.”

“Take ‘em, they are nothing. Filthy whores.”

“They are mine! They’ve been mine for years! I’ve raised them! You’re the one who’s nothing, no one. A pathetic coward who preys on his own kids. One day your gonna die miserable and alone and I’ll smile knowing that my kids won’t ever have to see your face ever again.”

Neil gets in Joyce’s face like he’s going to say something, but it’s interrupted. 

“Leave and never come back,” El and Will say together as they hold hands. 

The clouds overhead change. There’s electricity in the air. The wind howls around them and it almost looks like there’s a glow surrounding them. Every hair on Billy and Steve’s body stand on up. They look around and the rest of the party looks scared. 

Susan is sobbing hysterically, as Neil takes one more look at all of them and the crowd forming around them. 

“I’d like to press charges chief,” Neil grunts, chief coming out like an insult. “That little slut attacked me.”

The sky has gone completely black and a crack of lightning strikes right behind Will and El. They look completely inhuman. 

“Joyce get the kids,” Hop tells her motioning back to where El and Will are standing. Before he turns his attention back to the human garbage in front of him.

“You see I don’t think you want to do that, because if you then I’d be forced to look into why a daughter would hit her father, along with all the allegations of abuse. Which I’ll conveniently remind you have a statute of limitations that hasn't expired. Is that really what such fine upstanding man like yourself wants? Your family name dragged through the mud?”

Hop crowds him, towering over him with his arms crossed. Neil is nothing compared to the real monsters they’ve faced. 

Neil glares at them before he grabs Susan’s arm and pulls her away. “Let’s go, Susan.” 

Susan reaches out towards Max which only makes her move closer to Billy. She looks away. 

“Good riddance,” they hear him say through Susan’s crying. 

Almost instantly the sky clears up and Will and El stare at each other like they’re having some secret conversation before they let go and are all smiles again. Billy’s not sure how to take it all. All the phone calls and no ones ever mentioned that new development. 

“Well,” Nancy says breaking the tension. “Now that those lovely people are gone, why don’t we enjoy some dessert.” 

“That’s a wonderful idea!” Mrs. Henderson chimes in, clearly looking for something to distract her. 

“Are you okay?” Max asks Billy like he was the one who punched Neil Hargrove in the face. 

“Yeah, I’m good.”

He grabs hold of Steve’s hand, ever his source of comfort and ease. He turns back towards the Sinclairs. 

“Sir, I’m sorry about what my father said. He’s-“

“I’m gonna stop you right there young man,” Mr. Sinclair says holding up his hand. “You don’t have to apologize for that vile man. It isn’t your responsibility.”

“But,” Billy cuts in.

“But nothing. You are not your father. Just like I’m not mine. You have nothing to be sorry about. You and your - Steve and Max are always welcome with us.”

“Thank you, sir,” Billy says holding out his hand. 

For a second everything feels like it’s settling down, but then Steve hears a soft and bell-like voice call out his name. 

“For the love of God,” Steve mumbles and turns, rubbing his eyes. “Can’t we catch a break?”

They turn to see Maggie Harrington standing in front of them, dressed to the nines. She looks more like she’s going to some fancy cocktail party than a picnic in the park. 

“Hey Mom, what are you doing here?” Steve asks.

“Well, I knew that your - that the kids were graduating and I was hoping that you’d be here and here you are,” she answers with a nervous smile. 

“You look amazing, California has done wonders for you!” 

Billy can sense how uncomfortable Steve is as he runs his hands up and down his back. 

“Well, can a mother get a hug from her only son?” she says her arms stretched out. 

Steve is torn. He doesn’t want to, but he can’t stand the look on his mother’s face either. This is the first interaction they’ve had in years. He’s not sure he would have chosen to start with a hug. 

He caves and he leans in quickly before returning to his spot next to Billy. 

“Mom you remember Billy Hargrove,” she turns to look at Billy like she’s hoped no one would bring him up. “my partner.” 

Her smile disappears at the word. She looks around at everyone and her face is stained pink. 

“Hello, Mrs. Harrington, nice to see you again,” Billy says smoothly holding his hand out. 

The mask is put back into place and she takes his hand. “Hello, it’s so lovely to see you again. I’m happy to see that Steve is settled down. What has it been? Four years? That's quite a bit of time.” 

“It’s been a dream. Your son is an amazing person.”

“Yes, yes he is. I’m glad you see that.” She stares at them intently. 

“Mom, what-“

“Mrs. Harrington-“ Billy cuts Steve off.

“Maggie, please. Mrs. Harrington makes me sound ancient.” 

“Okay, Maggie can I be honest with you?” 

“Of course,” she says a bit nervously. She has a look on her face that Billy recognizes very well because it’s the same one Steve gets when he’s upset. It’s a bit off-putting. 

“I love your son and he loves me. I know it’s not what you hoped for and everything but please understand that this isn’t some phase. I should have said this to you and your husband a long time ago. This is it for me. I’ve found the person I want to be with for the rest of my life. And I know I’m not who you would have chosen for Steve, but no one is ever going to love him more than me. No one is ever going to care for him more than me. Know him better than I do and I hope you can make peace with that.”

“I - I understand,” she says looking between the two of them, looking down at their linked hands. Steve feels emboldened by Billy's declaration.

“Do you though?” Steve asks, heating rising through him. “Where’s Dad?” Her face blanches again. 

“Of course. He doesn’t know you’re here, does he? No, he’s probably not even home because if he was you’d never come.”

“Steve, please,” she begs. “You’re father-“

“is a cruel man,” Steve finishes. “Look it’s fine mom okay. I don’t care that you came, but stop pretending okay? Stop pretending you’re okay with this and that Dad wouldn’t cut you off too if he ever found out you dared to speak to your fairy son. Stop pretending you even cared about me or my life before my choices started negatively affecting yours.”

“Steve, I-“

“Please stop. Mom, I’m here with my family and I just want to enjoy the rest of my brother and my sister’s party. So please, just go.”

She looks around and everyone as her eyes fill with tears and she gives him a slight nod. “Sorry to have bothered all of you,” says barely over a whisper. 

“I’m happy for you Steve and Billy. I’m happy you have someone who loves you honestly and openly. I’m happy you have the family you’ve always wanted. And despite what you may think, I’ve always loved you.” 

“You’ve had a funny way of showing it,” Steve says as he turns and walks away pulling Billy with him.

“Oh honey, are you okay?” Joyce says wrapping her arms around Steve. “What you just did was very brave. I’m proud of you.”

Steve breaks down in her arms. “You’ve been more of a mother to me in three years than she has been my entire life, but it still hurts.” 

“Of course it does!” she says rubbing his head. “I love you like my own, but that’ll never change who she is to you.” 

Joyce reaches over and grabs Billy’s hand. “Why don’t you two go for a walk and clear your heads. Someone is testing our strength and patience today.”

Billy nods and takes Steve away from the party. They walk over to the fountains and Steve splashed water on his face. Billy lights two cigarettes in his mouth and hands one to Steve. 

“What a fucking mess!” 

“You were right, coming back was a mistake,” Steve says. 

“Bullshit. I was wrong. This shit show was exactly what we needed. Tell me you don’t feel free somehow. Like whatever chains that still held us here weren’t clipped just now.”

Steve sighs. He does feel a bit better. Billy turns to him and looks around before pulling him into a deep kiss, they’re still in fucking Hawkins and neither of them is spoiling for another fight. 

Steve kisses him back. Now he feels better.

“I meant every word of it. I love you Steve Harrington, more than you’ll ever know.”

“I love you too Billy Hargrove. Forever.”

“Us against the world.”

Eventually, they make their way back to the group and everything’s good again. They spend the rest of the night joking and laughing and when it’s all done, they help pack everything away. They say goodnight to everyone and make their way towards the cars. Billy’s not sure how they’re all going to fit.

“Hey need a ride?” Max asks. 

Billy thinks she means with the Sinclairs, that is until he spots the familiar blue paint of his baby. He stops dead in his tracks, mouth hanging open. There she is, just sitting in the lot. 

“What? How?” The last time Billy had seen her after Starcourt she’d been destined for the junkyard, more trouble than she was worth. It’d killed him to have to leave her behind. 

“You like it? I fixed her up myself,” Max says with a smug smile on her face. 

“You did what?” Billy asks in shock and awe.

“They were going to scrap her and I just couldn’t watch it. So I took her to Joe’s and he taught me how to fix her. It took a fortune and forever, but it was totally worth it.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s yours dumbass. She’s all I had of you. My way of being close to you. Plus Neil nearly had a heart attack when he saw me pull into the driveway. That alone was worth it.”

Billy grabs her and squeezes as tight as he can. “You’re fucking ridiculously insane and I love it!”

“So uh are we going for a ride or not Hargrove?” Steve asks from his spot, leaning up against the passenger side door. 

Every dirty fantasy Billy ever had of getting Steve alone in that car comes flooding back and Billy prays he didn’t pop a boner in front of his sister and the entire town. He looks over at Max and she rolls her eyes at him as she tosses him the keys. 

“I don’t want to know what happens in there, just clean her up and bring her back with a full tank of gas.” She laughs at him.

Billy runs over and throws open the driver's side door and slides into the seat. He practically moans as he puts the key into the ignition and hears the car roar to life. 

“So should I stay or do you two need some alone time?” Steve laughs. 

“You better get your ass into this car. You have no idea what’s in store for you tonight Pretty Boy,” Billy says as he licks his teeth and grins up at Steve. 

Steve feels his pants tighten as she jumps into the car. “Show me what you’ve got Hargrove.”

“Oh baby that’s a promise,” Billy shoots back as he throws the car in drive and peels out of the parking lot like a bat of hell. 

“Come on you two! I’m too old for this shit and so are you!” they barely hear Hopper say over their laughter. 

Windows down, open road, the hottest guy in town at his side. What else did they need?


End file.
